XoLeIn GaEpRuXoMyRuEp

zanzjan · Dec 24, 2011

slcboston said:
*offers to buy round of drinks for all Cantina-ites who, like me, have no place better to be tonight*

I have no better place to be, except perhaps on a tropical island in the south pacific, but I'm happy with where I am. Next round on me.

hillaryjacques said:
Watching my effusive toddler and dry, sarcastic brother interact is hilarious. The kid is becoming skeptical before my very eyes.

Heh. (-: I wish my children had gotten the chance to know my brothers, esp. my little bro. He and my teen would have gotten along really well in the sarcasm dept.

Tifferbugz said:
Also I'm helping him play this game. I say helpful things like, "Why don't you jump?" And then he thanks me by telling me, "Why don't you shut up?"

This may be more fun for me than him.

Ooooh, when he dies, do you say, "See? You should have jumped!" too? That sounds like a great game.

2 min to midnight here by my clock. Presents are under tree, stockings are stuffed, tithe of gift-wrapper chocolate has been apportioned and consumed. Time to shut off the lights and try to catch some sleep before the morning chaos.

Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas / Joyous Yule / Wonderful Winter to you all! (-:

jallenecs · Dec 24, 2011

it's officially Christmas here. Whoo hoo. Kids are in bed, though not asleep. Hubby is stuffing stockings with elebenty-seven tons of candy. I'm high as a kite on back medicine.

Only 23 hours and 55 minutes until my favorite holiday: Boxing Day. I love Boxing Day because it's far from next Christmas as can be managed.

Kweei · Dec 24, 2011

Christmas is here! Going to have a good one despite being sick (still, ugh). *nods*

Merry Christmas (if you celebrate)!

jallenecs · Dec 24, 2011

My sister and I were talking tonight about a strange little Christmas custom in our family. It's silly and trivial, but I'm surprised by how much it means to me.

My daddy was a little boy during the Depression. His family was well off for our community, but that didn't mean they had very much. He told us that during those years, one of the most important things he would find in his Christmas stocking was a big box of Cracker Jack. Because of the money situation, that was the only time he could get it, and he always looked forward to it.

So when he was a father, and we girls asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he always said the same thing: Cracker Jack. And every year, he got four boxes of Cracker Jack, one from each daughter. When he started having grandchildren, it was the same deal. Moreover, it became a tradition for the daddies in the family to get a box of Cracker Jack in their stocking.

My father has been dead since I was 27. And still, as I type this, there are four boxes of Cracker Jack under the tree, for my husband: one from each child. My sister's tree has two boxes of Cracker Jack under her tree.

Silly, no? But it's one of the few things about Christmas that I really treasure, and NEVER fail to do.

Does anybody else here have a tradition, no matter how small, that they always do? Tell us a story about it?

jallenecs · Dec 24, 2011

BTW, and on a completely different note:

the gun, gaily giftwrapped, is now under our tree. And written down the side, in big, black Sharpie: "You'll shoot your eye out!" Courtesy of my younger daughter.

The smartassery around here knows no holiday reprieve.

_Sian_ · Dec 24, 2011

CobraMisfit said:
Ditto. I must read all books by Cantineros!!

This, when I find time. The person I'm beta'ing for tends to write chapters 26 pages long, so it's taking up a fair amount of my reading time.

hillaryjacques said:
I may go to the mall so I can relax.

It's been a bit like that here for the past couple of days. My aunt and my grandmother spend too much of their time sniping at each other, and my father has to be made to feel guilty or terrible at least once a day.
Ahh well, it happens every year, so it's almost scenery by this stage

10trackers said:
*wanders alone through empty Cantina*

*sits at the bar and downs one glass of water after the other*

Aww, ten. I'll drink with you

I don't think I could fit in much more than water anyway.

K.L. Townsend said:
Christmas is here! Going to have a good one despite being sick (still, ugh). *nods*

Merry Christmas (if you celebrate)!

Have a good one, all of you

_Sian_ · Dec 24, 2011

That's gorgeous. So personal to your family, and says so much. I mean, imagine if there were suddenly only three boxes of cracker jack in your husbands stocking. For everyone else it would mean nothing, but it would have mountains of meaning for your family.

Sorry to go so depressing, but I love it when things are so full of meaning like that.

I don't think we have anything from dad's side of the family - my parents tried to keep us as seperate from my father's family as possible when we were growing up - they had very... concrete ideas about what was allowed in a person's life, and what they were allowed to hope for and achieve. So we didn't get anything much in the way of tradition from them.

With my mum's family, however, there's the tradition of my uncle and the lemon butter. Every year mum makes gallons of lemon butter that she gives away at Christmas, and every year my uncle eats it all before his even on his way home. So every year we give him and my aunt two jars of lemon butter - one sealed up which my aunt puts away, and one covered in cling wrap, with a spoon sticking out of it for easy access

jallenecs said:
My sister and I were talking tonight about a strange little Christmas custom in our family. It's silly and trivial, but I'm surprised by how much it means to me.

My daddy was a little boy during the Depression. His family was well off for our community, but that didn't mean they had very much. He told us that during those years, one of the most important things he would find in his Christmas stocking was a big box of Cracker Jack. Because of the money situation, that was the only time he could get it, and he always looked forward to it.

So when he was a father, and we girls asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he always said the same thing: Cracker Jack. And every year, he got four boxes of Cracker Jack, one from each daughter. When he started having grandchildren, it was the same deal. Moreover, it became a tradition for the daddies in the family to get a box of Cracker Jack in their stocking.

My father has been dead since I was 27. And still, as I type this, there are four boxes of Cracker Jack under the tree, for my husband: one from each child. My sister's tree has two boxes of Cracker Jack under her tree.

Silly, no? But it's one of the few things about Christmas that I really treasure, and NEVER fail to do.

Does anybody else here have a tradition, no matter how small, that they always do? Tell us a story about it?

CobraMisfit · Dec 24, 2011

Merry Christmas, Cantina!

hillaryjacques · Dec 25, 2011

Merry Christmas, Cantina!

*tumbles off to bed*

aliwood · Dec 25, 2011

Morning Cantina, and Merry Christmas if you need it and Bah! Humbug! if you need one of those as well.

Tea anyone?

10trackers · Dec 25, 2011

hillaryjacques said:
Watching my effusive toddler and dry, sarcastic brother interact is hilarious. The kid is becoming skeptical before my very eyes.

I think you should transcribe these interactions and blog about them for posterity

Alessandra Kelley said:
Stille nacht, heilige nacht ...

That was... jarring

But in a nice way! :heart:

K.L. Townsend said:
In other news, I signed onto the internet to do something and now I forget what.

To read the rest of that short?

jallenecs said:
Does anybody else here have a tradition, no matter how small, that they always do? Tell us a story about it?

I loved that, that was really sweet. I don't have a tradition, but I'd love to read about others' traditions

Fenika · Dec 25, 2011

Morning everyone! Suzan, are those your sprouts?

Perhaps I can give away single cotton squares for Halloween next year. Hmmm.

I hope everyone has a good day and no one shoots their eye out! I had to give the BB gun back to my uncle yesterday.

I am going to brave the grocery store this morn, if its open, and get some fruit and essentials.

Kweei · Dec 25, 2011

jallenecs said:
My sister and I were talking tonight about a strange little Christmas custom in our family. It's silly and trivial, but I'm surprised by how much it means to me.

My daddy was a little boy during the Depression. His family was well off for our community, but that didn't mean they had very much. He told us that during those years, one of the most important things he would find in his Christmas stocking was a big box of Cracker Jack. Because of the money situation, that was the only time he could get it, and he always looked forward to it.

So when he was a father, and we girls asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he always said the same thing: Cracker Jack. And every year, he got four boxes of Cracker Jack, one from each daughter. When he started having grandchildren, it was the same deal. Moreover, it became a tradition for the daddies in the family to get a box of Cracker Jack in their stocking.

My father has been dead since I was 27. And still, as I type this, there are four boxes of Cracker Jack under the tree, for my husband: one from each child. My sister's tree has two boxes of Cracker Jack under her tree.

Silly, no? But it's one of the few things about Christmas that I really treasure, and NEVER fail to do.

Does anybody else here have a tradition, no matter how small, that they always do? Tell us a story about it?

Tradition is my fave part of the holidays and your story brought tears to my eyes.

You should make it a story or something

Kweei · Dec 25, 2011

10trackers said:
To read the rest of that short?

Maybe after I'm done some Christmassing

Psychomacologist · Dec 25, 2011

Merry Christmas Cantinarinos

Suzanne, are those your kids in that box in your avi? Because DAAAAWWWWW and lol

Fen, sorry to hear about your accident. *hugs*

Christmas morning has been spent eating omelette and drinking tea and watching Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Which seems like a perfectly reasonable Christmas to me

Whut up Cantina peeps?

zanzjan · Dec 25, 2011

sianshan said:
Every year mum makes gallons of lemon butter that she gives away at Christmas, and every year my uncle eats it all before his even on his way home. So every year we give him and my aunt two jars of lemon butter - one sealed up which my aunt puts away, and one covered in cling wrap, with a spoon sticking out of it for easy access

Pretty funny! And, oooh, lemon butter. Any chance of getting a recipe?

Fenika said:
Morning everyone! Suzan, are those your sprouts?

They are indeed. They spent so much time in the box their gifts came in, I wondered if it was worth buying them anything more than a big empty box!

jallenecs said:
My father has been dead since I was 27. And still, as I type this, there are four boxes of Cracker Jack under the tree, for my husband: one from each child. ... Does anybody else here have a tradition, no matter how small, that they always do? Tell us a story about it?

That's a lovely tradition!

We don't have much here. My family is very small to start with (at one point I was down to four relatives on the entire planet) and when we were kids we used to go spend it every year with my grandparents, but they've been gone for a long time now. After my brothers died xmas kind of became about those of us left sitting around being miserable but not talking about why, which means not getting to talk about the good things we miss too. Lots of stress, not much joy, not healthy at all. This is the first year it's just been me and the kids, and the little ones are too young to really "get" any sort of tradition stuff, but I'm hoping to sort of establish things as they get older. One thing we do every year is have a cake on the night of the Solstice with a sun drawn on it in frosting and candles we all blow out to make a wish for the new year. And given how well it worked out last night, I may make a big pot of xmas eve chili a tradition too! Nom.

Fenika · Dec 25, 2011

Oh, pretty chili.

CobraMisfit · Dec 25, 2011

Psychomacologist said:
Whut up Cantina peeps?

Started the morning opening a few presents followed by church and now prepping for the horde of family to arrive for lunch.

Man, I love this time of year.

Tifferbugz · Dec 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!!!! :partyguy:

Alessandra Kelley · Dec 25, 2011

Merry Christmas! We opened gifts this morning. Right now my husband is instructing our eldest in cooking for dinner. I'm off to iron the table linens.

I love when ironed linen gets all smooth and silvery.

Kweei · Dec 25, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Fenika · Dec 25, 2011

Anyone not celebrating Christmas? (and not for boycotting reasons but for religious reasons or somesuch...)

My wild birds are feasting today. It's become suddenly colder at night.

Psychomacologist · Dec 25, 2011

Fenika said:
Anyone not celebrating Christmas? (and not for boycotting reasons but for religious reasons or somesuch...)

Well I don't particularly celebrate the day. But I do have a tree up cos I like the lights

aliwood · Dec 25, 2011

Psychomacologist said:
Well I don't particularly celebrate the day. But I do have a tree up cos I like the lights

That's why I put our decorations up, because they are all twinkly. I seem to have had three elderberry wines, which given that it's about 200% proof means that my keyboard is starting to move in it's own orbit in front of my eyes. I realise you can't see this but I am typing l-i-k-e- - t-h-i-s and it's suddenly very hard.

Part 2 of Lord of the Rings watched. I may opt for School of Rock later.

Talking of decorations, is it just me or do the lights on the tree up there at the top of the forum seem to be on steroids? I'm sure they are going waaaayyyyyy too fast. Go take a look, you'll see what I mean.

Oh, oh, cat with a furball, back shortly. Can someone pass the teapot please.

Alessandra Kelley · Dec 25, 2011

Happy first day of Christmas, all.

Eleven more to go.

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